


Let it Snow

by nidnub



Category: Purple Hyacinth - Ephemerys & Sophism (Webcomic)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Christmas Caroling, Christmas Party, Deus ex Blizzard, Drunken Shenanigans, F/M, Gen, Kieran is vibing, Kym is living her best life, Kywi, Lauki - Freeform, Lauren is stressed, Main Four - Freeform, Singing, They’re all twenty-somethings doing what twenty-somethings do, Will is suffering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:34:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28305423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nidnub/pseuds/nidnub
Summary: When Lauren volunteered for her and Kym to host the office Christmas party, she thought it would be an opportunity to impress and show her coworkers a great time, but all her plans go up in smoke, or rather frost, when a massive snowstorm rolls into the city. Their only attendees end up being Will, who showed up early to help out, and Kieran, her least favourite coworker who made it just before the storm rolled in. Can Lauren learn to let loose with her friends and have a holly jolly holiday? (Or the main four have a snowstorm Christmas party filled with carols, food, undiscovered feelings and lots of alcohol).
Relationships: Lauren Sinclair/Kieran White, William Hawkes/Kym Ladell
Comments: 10
Kudos: 57





	Let it Snow

**Author's Note:**

> *This fic is apart of the Secret Santa event held on the Purple Hyacinth discord server the Fandom Scythe*  
> Hi lovelydramaqueen! I hope you’re having a good Christmas and I hope you enjoy this fic! I loved the idea of the main four and Christmas and this whole concept was the first thing to pop into my head! We love when Christmas carols actually describe the premise of a fanfic. I was also inspired by the nights when me and my friends would stay in and get wine drunk in college lol. I hope you don’t mind the Lauki. I couldn’t help myself. Also also if the weather isn’t accurate blame my American friends for giving me false information about snowstorms *cries in Caribbean*.

“Kym I know you guys are hosting, and you said it’s an ugly sweater party, but did you really have to choose _that_ of all sweaters?”

“Yes, because unlike you Willame, I must set an example for our coworkers and have the most amazing ugly Christmas sweater of them all. I have a reputation to uphold.”

“Still, don’t you think it’s a bit much?”

“Nope! Lauren helped me pick it out and everything! Hey Lauren! Don’t you agree that my sweater is amazing?”

Lauren, who’d been busy pulling holiday cookies out of the oven and had only been mildly following the conversation between Kym and Will, looked over her shoulder. The sweater in question was an obnoxiously bright red. In the middle was a cartoon reindeer head with actual Christmas ornaments hanging from it’s felt antlers, with the words ‘HORNY AND LIT’ written above it.

“I honestly can’t think of any other sweater that would suit her if I’m being honest.” Lauren said with a completely straight face.

Kym rushed over to the kitchen and wrapped her arm around Lauren’s neck, “See? This is why we’re besties. You just _get_ me, yah know?”

Lauren chuckled, “We wouldn’t be able to live together if I didn’t. Now did you check and make sure we had enough for the cheeseboard spread? That snowstorm may be just missing us but it’s still dumping a decent amount of snow right now.”

Kym rolled her eyes, “Lauren we’ve been setting up for this party for a solid week. We’ve got more than enough to leave everyone feeling stuffed and tipsy by the end of the night.”

Lauren knew this was true, but she still wanted to be prepared. She and Kym had volunteered to host the Christmas party for the precinct this year, and Lauren really wanted to make a good impression on the higher ups. She was the youngest detective by far and had only been promoted a year ago. Even though she’d proven her skills time and time again, she still felt that they saw her as the baby. This was a way to show just how much effort she was willing to put to make sure they all had a good time.

The apartment itself was, of course, decked out with all sorts of holiday decorations. Christmas lights lined the windows giving the room a warm glow, stockings were hung up on one of the walls, little holiday knick-knacks like snowmen and santas were placed on the coffee table and on other shelves around the living room, the TV played a loop of a crackling fire (Kym’s idea). Even the modest Christmas tree in the corner was filled with all kinds of decorations Lauren and Kym had collected over the years.

Lauren placed the plate of still-warm cookies next to all the other platters they’d laid out on the countertop. She took a look around the room and finally allowed herself to relax and take pride in all the hard work she and Kym had put into this. 

Tonight was going to go off without a hitch. She was sure of it. 

Then a chime of alerts rang out from the phones scattered around the room.

She barely registered picking her own phone up from the table and reading the notification. Barely took in the words written in bold across her screen:

**⚠️** **Emergency Alert!**

**Blizzard warning in this area til 5:00 AM EST Sun. Prepare. Avoid Travel. Check Media.- NWS**

Lauren continued to stare at it, numb with shock as she processed those words and what they meant. Would have probably stayed like that for awhile had Kym not suddenly jumped up from the couch.

“The storm shifted!?” She yelled, “Are you serious? It was heading north just an hour ago!”

Will sighed, falling onto the couch next to where she’d been sitting, “That’s the thing about weather, we can only predict it so much before it does its own thing.”

“But what about the party!? People are supposed to be coming in an hour! Who’s gonna show up after hearing we’ll be in a blizzard till morning!?”

Will began to respond but the sudden ring of the doorbell stopped him in his tracks.

The three friends all regarded each other for a moment, as if they all thought they’d been hearing things, but then they heard the distinct ring of the doorbell again, a little more urgent sounding this time. Lauren decided to take the initiative and moved to look through the front door’s peephole.

The haze of the more rapidly falling snow coupled with the figure’s wool hat, scarf and thick winter jacket made it difficult for her to make out who exactly was currently shivering on the doorstep, but Lauren recognised those turquoise eyes anywhere.

 _And the good news just keeps on coming._

She pulled the door open, letting the figure in question hobble inside before shutting the door as quickly as possible to keep the heat in.

“Thought you’d leave me out in the cold to freeze for a second there.” He said unwinding his scarf to reveal his smug, if a little flushed, face.

Kieran White. The forensic artist the precinct had hired just a couple months ago. The _one_ coworker who always seemed to push every one of her buttons just as much as she pushed his. In the many times they’d had to work together they’d always enter the same verbal back and forth. He’d always flirt. She’d always call him a jackass. They couldn’t spend more than 5 minutes in each other’s company without some sort of conflict arising.

And now he was here, in her home, during the onset of an hours long blizzard.

She rolled her eyes, “I was seriously considering it.”

“Wouldn’t expect anything less, Detective.” He grinned, pulling his hat off of his head and revealing his dark hair.

Lauren was still half convinced she was hallucinating, “What are you-?”

“Kieran!” Kym yelled, leaping up from the couch (again) and running over to give him a hug, “Glad you could make it! Quick lemme see the sweater!”

“I hope it’s to your standards.” He said, shrugging off his jacket and doing a quick spin for her. Kieran’s sweater was stripped horizontally in alternating shades of light and dark blue, separated by white criss cross designs. Each dark blue band had its own design motif in white: reindeer in one stripe, Christmas trees in another, snowflakes in another, you get the gist.

Kym scrutinised it as if it were a piece of art in a museum, hand gripping under her chin as she dragged her hazel gaze over the design.

Finally she nodded, “It’s hideous. I love it.”

“Glad someone doesn’t think I’m a disappointment.” He said while giving Lauren the side eye.

Lauren had half a mind to flip him off, “The party’s not supposed to start for another hour. Why are you here so early?”

“Well, I knew Will was coming early to help you guys out and I figured I could help set things up too. Even brought my speaker since Will told me earlier that you guys’ own was giving trouble.” He shrugged, “Didn’t expect to walk through the beginnings of a snowstorm but that’s life I guess. Also,” He lifted up a long, thin paper bag Lauren hadn't noticed him holding before, “Wine.”

Kym held her hand over her heart, “That’s so considerate! Thanks so much for thinking of us.” She stepped forward and took the jacket and the wine from him, “Lauren why don’t you take the wine to the kitchen while I hang this up, and Kieran and Will go set up the speaker? Willame! Come help Kieran set the music up!”

Lauren fumbled with the bag that Kym practically shoved into her chest, “Music for what? Nobody else is gonna be able to come! The party’s over!”

“That doesn’t mean we can’t have a nice little party with just the four of us!” Kym said, pulling Lauren to her side, “C’mon Lauren! We’ve gotta embrace the holiday spirit and make the best of this! Don’t go all Scrooge on me now! It’s gonna be great!”

Lauren looked at her friend’s manic expression, then to Kieran who flashed her a knowing wink before walking over to Will in the living room. This was what she was gonna be stuck with for the next twelve hours.

“God help me,” She groaned.

*

Once the speaker was all set up and connected to Will’s holiday playlist, Kym had them all sit on the couch while she stood before them pacing.

“Ok!” Kym began with a clap, “Now that we’re all here and set up, I think we have an amazing opportunity on our hands! Sure we won’t be having our coworkers over tonight and that sucks a lot, but when blizzards bring you snow make snowballs, am I right? Can’t have the whole office here? Then let’s party till dawn in their memory!”

“They’re not dead Kym” Will sighed.

“Hush William, your bad vibes are gonna kill the mood. Now, we were supposed to have the ugly sweater contest first but I think we’ve got a pretty obvious ranking here: me in first, because obviously,” She said while gesturing to her reindeer and flicking one of its antler ornaments, “Then Kieran, because he really went above and beyond in terms of wearing something truly offensive.”

“I knew I’d never beat you but I wanted to take a good crack at it.” He said with a little bow of respect toward Kym. Lauren did nothing to hide her eye roll.

“A fair effort indeed sir!” Kym declared, “Now we’re left with Lauren in third because the rows of candy canes and stockings are a little basic but you get points for the green and red going well with your hair! We love a lady who can coordinate! And of course in dead last is the poor Lieutenant. Seriously, the black background with all the snowmen and gingerbread men lined up and Santa’s sleigh in the sky? Pedestrian. Too boring to be considered ugly really.”

“At least I don’t look like a crazy lady.” Will pouted, folding his arms across his chest and looking away from her.

“Like I said earlier, I have a reputation to uphold! I’m doing what’s expected of me, but I guess you’re doing what’s expected of you as well, go figure.” She shrugged, “But yeah, so now that that’s over with, let’s get things started by watching a holiday classic: Elf!”

Lauren raised an eyebrow, “We’re really just gonna watch a movie? I thought you’d go with something a little more… _wild_ to start with.”

“Oh Lauren,” Kym drawled, her signature grin spreading across her face, “Don’t you know rule number one of throwing an amazing party? We gotta start off slow, then work our way to the _really_ fun stuff. Can’t have people tapping out too early! Now, while you guys go grab some of the snacks, I’ll go crack open that bottle of wine! Unless any of you have any better ideas you’d like to share of course.”

When the three of them failed to offer up anything, Kym sprung into action, skipping over to the kitchen. 

“This isn’t exactly what I was expecting,” said Will, grabbing one of the plates of cookies.

Kieran nodded in agreement, “Same, but nobody knows how to party like Kym right? Best roll with it if you ask me. Besides who wouldn’t like to get a little wine drunk and watch Elf? It’s a modern holiday classic for a reason.”

“It’s funny you say that, Kieran,” Kym said as she sauntered back to the living room with four empty wine glasses, “Lauren was just talking about that the other day. You said it’s your favourite holiday movie, didn’t you Lauren?”

Kieran looked over to her, eyes filled with an odd mix of smugness and endearment.

 _Goddammit Kym_ , Lauren groaned internally, feeling a slight flush spread across her cheeks.

“It’s just like you said,” Lauren said with as much aloofness as possible, “Who doesn’t like Elf right?”

Kieran regarded her for a second longer before responding, “Right.” 

And with that he grabbed the charcuterie platter and turned back to the living room.

*

The movie went on as expected: Kym began reenacting some of Will Ferrell’s antics, Will kept being compared to the dad in the movie, they even sang along with the Christmas caroling near the end, the wine having loosened them all up a little. All the while Lauren was hyper aware of Kieran sitting next to her (curse their tiny couch), feeling the press of his leg against hers or hearing the sound of his laugh travel through the spots where their bodies touched. She’d never really paid much attention to details like that before. She decided to blame it on the wine.

After that they moved on to the live-action Grinch movie which, along with another bottle of wine and most of the snacks they brought to the table, they got through pretty quickly. Lauren could feel herself beginning to relax more, laughing in shock along with everyone else at some of the adult jokes that went over their heads as kids. The best part was when Kym began throwing in wild commentary and jokes that had even Will in stitches. Soon they were all going back and forth, building upon and laughing at each others’ jokes. Lauren even found herself gripping onto Kieran’s arm for support whenever she doubled over with laughter. Again she blamed the wine.

By the end of it all they were happy and just a little tipsy, with the mood sufficiently lightened. 

“Alright!” Kym said, jumping up off the couch, “Now that we’re all warmed up it’s time for the next phase: Christmas Carol Karaoke!”

Will fell back onto the couch with a loud groan, “Kymmmm, nobody wants to see you fail at singing ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ or whatever.”

Kym let out an overly exaggerated evil laugh before pointing her finger in his, “Haha! Will you fool! I was actually gonna sing the holiday classic ‘Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer’! But since you so lovingly suggested it...” She trailed off, before taking in a big breath and hollering at the top of her lungs, “OOOOON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME! A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE!”

Will, whose face was suddenly and completely stripped of all energy, simply grabbed one of the couch cushions and covered his head with it. Lauren could barely hear the sound of his groaning over Kym’s wailing. The sight of it left her chuckling in sympathy for her childhood friend, offering a comforting pat to his knee before sitting back and looking at Kym meander her way through the song, dancing across their living room, wine bottle in hand.

Kieran, looking at Kym’s rendition with a sort of stunned awe, leaned into Lauren, “Is she really gonna sing the whole-?”

Lauren looked over to him, eyebrows raised, “Do you even know Kym? When has she ever done anything she’s set her mind to in a half-assed way?”

“Point.” Kieran acknowledged with a laugh before his attention turned back to their suffering coworker, “Say, how long do you think it’ll take for Will to crack? My bet’s on ‘Seven swans a-swimming’.”

Lauren hummed for a moment, turning to look at Will, then Kym and back again before turning to look at Kieran, “Nah, I think he can make it to ‘Nine ladies dancing’ at least.”

“Bet?” He asked, offering her his hand.

Lauren looked down at his hand then up to his eyes. They were always so full of confidence and charm, but it was the challenge in them that held her gaze. He’d been levelling her with that look since the first time they’d worked together. It usually got her blood boiling in no time, but for some reason the boiling feeling was tinged with something else she couldn’t quite place.

 _It’s just the wine,_ she figured as she grasped his hand in a firm shake, “Bet.”

 _Yeah, just the wine_.

*

Needless to say, things began derailing from there.

Will actually made it through the whole song, much to the shock of everyone, but most of all Kym, who stared at him with something akin to new respect.

“We need to drink to the strength of this man!” She declared, “No more of this wine bullshit! We’re hitting the hard stuff now bitches. Get ready!”

The ‘hard stuff’ actually turned out to be Kym’s personal bottle of adult chocolate milk, (“It’s the nectar of the gods Lauren! Don’t knock it till you try it!”), which she quickly divvied up into holiday-themed shot glasses.

Kym raised her glass, “To Will! The absolute madlad!” 

“To Will!” Lauren and Kieran cheered before the four of them downed their shots.

Lauren couldn’t recall too much of what happened in the following minutes but it all somehow led to her old keyboard being shoved intp Will’s lap and him playing along to his perfect, if a little slurred, rendition of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’.

Lauren and Kieran looked on from the kitchen, watching as Kym danced around and sang along with him as best as she could in her drunken state. 

“It’s been awhile since I saw Will play.” She said offhandedly, carefully putting some of the empty platters into the sink, “Guess we should just get him drunk next time we want him to.”

Kieran nodded, eyes locked on their friends, “Since when could he play piano? Never pegged him as the musical type.”

Lauren shuffled over to him, leaning over the counter to look on at the scene unravelling before them, “What can I say? He’s a man of many secrets.”

“And what about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you a woman of many secrets?”

Lauren turned to look at him, eyes locking with his own. His turquoise gaze was half-lidded, filled with a look of intrigue she’d never really noticed before. Gone was the smugness they usually radiated. How long had he been looking at her like that? Was this the chocolate milk’s doing? She couldn’t really blame alcohol for everything tonight could she? Lauren didn’t know but she suddenly felt put on the spot, brain scrambled by a mix of alcohol and confusion that didn’t exactly bode well for formulating a response.

Luckily she didn’t have to, because Kym began yelling at them from across the living room.

“Oi you two get your beautiful asses back over here! It’s party time!”

“Coming!” Kieran yelled, before turning to look back at Lauren, “Can’t leave Kym waiting now can we?”

Lauren studied him as best she could, trying to figure out exactly what had him acting that way, before nodding, “Nope, now let’s go back before she drags us there herself.”

When they did finally make their way back Kym greeted them with open arms and the now half-empty bottle of adult chocolate milk, claiming they couldn’t reenter the party before getting back on her level. 

Shots were taken quickly, straight from the bottle. Soon the three of them were dancing and singing along in the living room, jumping and spinning and laughing, all the while Will was diligently playing every Christmas song he’d ever learned. When he eventually exhausted those they turned to the speaker, cranking up the volume on the holiday playlist and dragging Will into the merriment. 

They moved all around the living room, the coffee table having been shoved over to make room a long time ago. Time became a stutter mess. One moment Lauren had her arms hooked in with Kym’s, skipping around in a circle before they switched directions, another she was attempting the charleston with Will. At some point she even ended up in Kieran’s arms, following along as they did a very unstable tango to ‘Feliz Navidad’. 

Lauren didn’t know how long they danced like that for, and she didn’t really care. She was having _fun_. _Actually having fun._ She thought the night would be a disaster, that all the preparations were for nothing, but then she saw Kym teaching Will some meme dance while Kieran discreetly recorded it all on his phone, and decided in that moment that it was all worth it.

*

It was around three am when the energy finally began to die down. Will was the first to pass out, sprawled across their couch with his mouth agape. Kym decided that they should follow his example and have a slumber party in the living room since it wouldn’t be fair to the guys if the girls got to sleep in their beds while they were stuck out in the living room. Lauren, too tired at this point to oppose her, simply nodded along, gulping down some water while Kym grabbed every pillow and blanket from their bedrooms and tossed them to Kieran, who spread them out on the living room floor to make a makeshift bed.

“Alright Kieran that’s everything!” Kym yelled from her room.

“Thanks Kym!” He called back before promptly falling face first into the pillow pile.

Lauren couldn’t help but laugh as she walked back into the living room, two cups of water in hand.

“You should at least drink some water before you go to sleep,” She said with a small shove to his shoulder, “Don’t wanna walk home tomorrow with a hangover now do you?”

Kieran rolled over with a tired grin smeared across his face, “Awww, you do care.”

“Do you want me to pour this over your head instead?” She said with a little less venom than usual.

He chuckled, “That’s more like it. Thought I was still wasted for a second there.”

She raised an eyebrow, “Aren’t you?”

“I think all that dancing sobered me up a lot.” He said with that same sleepy smile, “I may try that next time I drink too much.”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Lauren agreed, flopping onto the makeshift bed next to him, “I’m pretty much sober now myself. Feel like I’m gonna pass out any second now.”

She laid there waiting for some sort of witty retort, but it never came. When she lifted her head up from her pillow she saw why. In the span of just a few seconds, Kieran had fallen asleep mid-conversation. Lauren would have laughed out loud but she didn’t want to wake him up. She’d never seen him like this, so completely relaxed and at ease. The whole night she’d felt like she’d begun to see more and more of him being truly himself. The sarcasm and confidence were still there, but there was something more under all that. What that ‘something‘ was, she wasn’t exactly sure. All she knew was that it was genuine and that she liked it.

Lauren settled back onto her pillow and let that thought be her last before sleep finally took her.

*

Will woke up to a throbbing pain in his skull and a dull ache throughout his back. _Passing out on a couch will do that to you_ , he figured, sitting up slowly.

“Well good morning, Mariah,” Said a familiar voice somewhere off to the side, “How you feeling?”

Mariah…?

Oh.

 _Oh_.

He flopped back onto the couch with a groan, rubbing his eyes in a desperate attempt to alleviate his growing headache.

“Ah so you _do_ remember.” Kym said with glee, “I’m glad I don’t have to whip out the videos to jog your memory. The way you sang ‘Santa Baby’ with a candy cane as a mic? Iconic.”

Will let out another, louder groan.

She responded to his pain with a sigh contentment, “Yeah last night was amazing. Coffee?”

“Please,” He rasped, pulling himself back upright once again.

He looked around the room through squinting eyes. Sunlight streamed in bright through the frosty windows, the storm having finally subsided. Kym appeared to have cleaned up a lot of the mess they’d left behind. The room looked almost exactly like it did the day before, despite one very big difference.

The floor in the middle of the living room, a mess of blankets and pillows, was occupied by Lauren and Kieran, who were curled in close together, with her head nestled in the spot just under his chin.

Will stared at the pair of them for another second before turning back to Kym. 

“So is this finally a thing now?” He asked, gesturing to the pair on the floor.

“Not yet, unfortunately,” She sighed, handing him a steaming cup of coffee before climbing over the back of the couch to sit next to him, “But I think she’s closer to realising that she’s into him, and that he’s _very_ much into her.”

Will took an appreciative sip from his mug before responding, “You’d think she would have realised by now, given how good a detective she is. The guy practically braved the beginnings of a blizzard just to show up early for God’s sake.” 

Kym shrugged, “I think it’s just a subconscious pride thing, but I think we’re gonna see a big difference in the two of them from here on out.”

Will leaned back, “Can’t believe it took a snowstorm and some booze to make it happen.”

“Tis’ the season, Willame.” She said, clinking their mugs together, “Tis’ the season.”


End file.
